70th Hunger Games
by Ockerman678
Summary: Twelve year old Leia has lost her father and refuses to accept her mother. For two years she has supplied for her family, but when the Hunger Games come her life goes form bad to worse. Now she must fight for life or death.
1. Chapter 1

Based on the original novels by Susanne Collins

**70****th**** Hunger Games:****The Lost Year**

**Chapter 1**

I see myself running through the meadow as fast as I can. I see the gates of the mine close as my father take his last plunge into the ground. I run faster trying to stop him but I'm to lake the gates have closed. I finally reach the gate and start pounding on the gate screaming for him. Amine official carries me away and as I turn a flash of light and fire light up my eyes.

I wake as sudden as the explosion. I feel for the warmth of my sister only greeted by the cold of the morning air. _She can't be far; she never wakes before me especially when I have my constant nightmares._ I slide out of bed knowing more sleep is impossible. I change out of my dad's old trousers and puffy shirt that I sleep in every night. I can't help but sleep in them, they still have his smell. The smell that comforted me for ten years while my father wore them. Now I have to settle for only the smell and not the kind word or gentle hands that followed up till two years ago.

I put on my dark brown pants that have the exact color of my hair. Then I gently pull my coffee stained top with a slight tear on the right side bottom rim, a result from a nasty fall down a hill, and my father's light brown leather jacket, that is always the right temperature no matter the conditions. My tethered old brown socks, that I wash every night so they are clean every morning, go on next. Lastly I slide into the beaten, soft leather boots that have fit for years. They are always perfectly tight to my feet every time I go to wear them, which is literally every day.

Grabbing my string of leather from the top of my dresser, and I braid my hair to the side as nicely as I can manage. I walk into the kitchen tying my piece of leather to the end of my braid to keep in place. As I look up from my braid I see my sister's silver pail upside down on the table. Lifting up the pail I see it's a nicely wrapped package I know has to be a block cheese from my sister's goat. I take my light blue backpack off the kitchen coat rack, and put the cheese in the bag. I throw my bag onto my back walking into my mom's room. I peak my head into her doorway and see my twin sister, Liea, next to my mother in the bed. I walk in to make sure Liea was asleep. Her eyes are finely closed the way they are when she is sleeping as soundly as possible. I kiss her forehead and walk over to Little A, my youngest and last sister. She is also sleeping soundly, careful not to wake her I kiss her tiny cheeks and walk out silently closing the door careful not to make a sound. Also my way of telling Liea that I'm gone for the morning is closing the door of the room that she is sleeping in.

Getting a drink of water out of the cellar I glance at the calendar and realize why Liea went into my mom's room last night. Today was the day anyone between the ages of 12 and 18 dreads all year long. Today was the reaping. This is really a fancy Capitol way of saying the choosing of who goes to the Hunger Games. All I can do is shake my head and step into the morning air.

No one is up as usual when I head out for the day. I look up at the morning sun and assume it is about six in the morning. The streets are lifeless. The only sign of life I saw was a group of Peacekeeper checking everyone's identification. Since I don't have any identification and don't feel like getting arrested I quickly hide behind a group of trash cans so they can't I.D me. Once they past I watch Mr. Mellark, the baker, and his son Peeta cross the square to the bakery. I dare not abandon my hiding place until I'm sure no eyes will follow me. I look across the square to see if I can spot my friend Gale, but his face doesn't show. As soon as everything is clear do I take off for the meadow.

Being as discrete as possible so no Peacekeepers notice me. I jog past the gates of the mine and slowly begin to walk. I gaze into the dark shaft and shiver as I remember the nightmare that woke me so violently this morning. I consider saying a prayer, then see a large group of Peacekeepers coming my way and I decide it's not worth being imprisoned.

When I finally reach the fence, I follow the fence till I come to the small sign that reads in red letters: DISTRICT BOUNDARY NO TRESPASSING. This is the weakest part of the electric fence that is supposed to keep people from escaping the district, but for those who know that the fence is never on it is a place to get free food such as game and berries. Some people who know the fence is never on but everyone won't go through for fear of Peacekeeper and rumored wild dogs and mountain lions.

Even though I know it is most likely off, I still listen for the buzz that indicates it's active. When I'm for sure that it's safe I swiftly slide through the fence and run for the safety of the forest canopy. As soon as I reach the cover of the trees I look to make sure that nobody had followed me. Today I was safe across the fence and in the sweet heaven of my trees. I take off farther into the woods and find the thick blackberry bush and push my hand deep into the center of the bush. I feel around for the large rock that is covers a hole that contains my belt of knives, both throwing and hand. After I finally find my belt and take a few minutes to buckle the latch that has a little rock wedged into the latch from the same fall that ripped my shirt.

Once my belt is secure I begin my morning hunt. My bow and arrows are stashed in a hollow tree that I know is fairly close, but I don't feel like finding it. Making a few small kills of two rabbits I spot a large white tailed deer. I slip my sharpest and largest throwing knife into my right hand and a hand knife in the other. I creep up as close to the deer that I can without spooking the deer, careful only to move with the wind so my sound blends with the rustle of the leaves. I lock onto the fatal section of the neck and put my throwing knife into position and then... "What's up La-la," sounds the loud voice of my friend Gale. I watch the deer take off. I try to make the kill but the deer was too fast and without a second past it was gone.

I turn to glare at Gale and see him strolling down the hill. My glare obviously isn't affecting him because he continues to stroll towards me with his warm, irritating smile that makes me wish I had thrown the knife at him instead of losing my knife in the bushes trying to get the deer. His smile continues to prick my nerves as he gets closer. My anger at him reaches at a boiling point and I have to lash out.

"Damn you Gale, "I scream knowing that there was no game left in the area, and do to Gale's loud burst of his obnoxious nickname for me. Then another flush of anger courses as I remember that he had called me La-la. This name is a result of my mom having a cold when she introduced me and Gale when we were seven, and he has remembered it for all these years I'm yet to figure out why he bothered to remember.

"What we're going to do with that deer anyway La-la,"

"Leia! And I was going to sell it I believe your familiar with the subject?"

"You should know better than to try to sell a big kill. You couldn't miss all the Peacekeepers walking around this morning," he said with real concern in his voice.

"Yeah, but not today of all days not matter how good the kill so I did you a favor because if you had made that kill you would be caught and arrested by Peacekeepers trying to get a promotion," Gale says as I withdrawn from the bushes with my throwing knife.

"Now, you call them Peacekeepers. I call them costumers who are almost as hungry as we are," I snap trying to prove that I'm right, but obviously he is not fazed by my comment for he gives a slight chuckle as I looking in the bushes for my knife. "Please like you don't sell to Peacekeepers," I yell so he can hear me since my head is in bushes searching for my knife.

"Fine," I say placing my knife back into its proper place on my belt, "Thank you my honorable protector," I say with sarcasm because I hate how Gale always finishes these feuds that we have. I pull myself from the bush that I had in since I had went to find my knife. I get up and to dust myself off, but before I can Gale pulls me into his arms and gives me a hug. Gale gives the best hugs they're strong and warm just like my father's were.

Without a farther word between us we head toward our favorite opening in the trees where we meet every day to hunt and talk. I throw my stuff down onto the ground and snuggle into soft sweet grass. We begin to talk about what we had killed today. I only had two rabbits while he had six. He gave me two of his so both our totals four rabbits each.

We have a way of communicating without words me and Gale. We have always been like that. After sitting for a while in silence Gale suddenly bursts out "Oh my god I almost forgot," and start rummaging through his bag that I just now noticed.

"What? What did you forget," I ask as he pulls a loaf of bread, that I have only seen Peacekeepers buy, out of his bag. "Is that real?" I yell snatching the loaf from him and taking a nice smell of the golden crust.

"It better be cost me half a rabbit," he said as I hand the bread back to him remembering my manners, "I got two for a whole rabbit the other is at home for the kids." The "kids" are his three younger siblings." Happy Hunger Games," he said as he sliced the bread.

"And may the odds be ever in your favor," I say as he hands me half the loaf. This is I guess the motto of the Hunger Games. I grew up hearing because everyone eligible or not must attend the reaping. We giggle a second and I remember the cheese I have I quickly pull it out and cut it in half handing Gale his deceived half.

"Thanks," he says spreading the cheese on his bread. I also give him some blueberries which gives some sweet to our breakfast, I always pick the blueberries but normally I can't get a good sale on them and Liea I allergic to them so I share them with Gale who adores them.

Then I remember Gale has a need to take lots of tesserae, a meager of grain and oil that is enough to feed one person a whole year in exchange for another slip with your on it is entered in reaping bowl, in order to feed his mom and siblings and I have to ask "How many times is your name in today?"

"Twelve, you?"

"Only four," I say quietly not expecting him to ask.

"And Liea," he solemnly

"Once," I say. I waited for him to ask why I hadn't had her take some tesserae, but he knew the answer. If I had let Liea take a tesserae then it would be more likely for her to be picked and I can't let her get picked because she hates the outdoors and hates to fight which that is all the Hunger Games are. Twenty four tributes, two from each district, are put in an outdoor arena to fight to the death. There is only one rule survive. The only way to live is to win. If you lose you die. There can only be one winner of every game, and if Liea was picked the winner would not be her.

"It's getting late we should probably head back," Gale says breaking the silence.

"Yeah I need to trade anyway and you probably need to too." I say picking up my bag and standing up.

"See you at the reaping," he says just before taking off into the woods.

"See ya," I yell waving good-bye to him.

I find my blackberry bush and quickly stash my knives. I pull a piece of large clothe from my bag and fill it with big sweet blackberries to trade and then I make another bundle to take home I gently place the berries in my bag careful not to crush them.

Slip through the fence and take off for the square. Dodging crates and people I wind my way through the streets.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I head down to the fish shop to visit my friend Mr. Middleton. I walk in to see he has had no costumers today, fish lay out on ice waiting to be bought and the seats at the front desk are in their position Mr. Middleton puts them in before opening. Whenever the shop is empty like this is the best for me because then we can talk and trade as long as we need.

I wait at the counter as long as my patience allows before I loudly clear my throat get someone's worked because as soon as I had cleared my throat once out of the back came Mr. Middleton he knows I only go making noises when my patience is gone so he quickly apologizes "Sorry, Leia didn't see you there wasn't at the desk because no one been in all day, and figured no one would be till after two."

"Why would you think that," I ask smiling at my friend, " I mean normally people don't come in till nine or so but someone must have been in."

"It's probably because of what happens later I mean parents probably want spend as much time with their kids as possible, speaking of which why are you home," he asks.

"You know me finding food never takes a holiday," I say smugly.

"Ah I should have known that you hadn't come to check business."

"Well I was out this morning and I stumbled about a blackberry bush in season," I say," I figured you would be up for a trade?"

"Alright name your price Leia," he said like he does every time I go to trade with him.

"A pound of blackberries and a two rabbits from me and eight pounds and a trout from you," I say sternly.

"Leia I swear you're out to break my business how about six pound instead of eight,"

"Seven or I take my business elsewhere," I say as a statement less than a threat.

"Okay deal I'll go get your fish and money, but I want the rabbit fur," he says going to the back.

"Fair enough," I say taking a seat at the counter. He emerges with a small bag of money and a white bundle, which I know to be the fish. I give him his blackberries and rabbits and he gives me the money and trout "So are you nervous for today's reaping," he ask casually.

"No why?"

"Well this is your first reaping and I just thought,"

"You thought wrong," I snap not letting him finish, "I need to get home though I'll see you around." I pick up my stuff and leave the shop. I slip through the square and take off through the meadow, avoiding the mine gates. I am almost home when I trip and fall on a small hole. But it's not a natural hole it looks like it was dug not that long ago and the dirt is loose so I start to dig up whatever was buried. I paw away the dirt until I feel a slight prick like with a needle or fine knife.

I dig a little more till I see a sliver of gold. Picking it up I realize it's a round gold pin. Scratch away the dirt in the middle to see a gold horse in mid stride in the ring connected by one foot, some mane and the end of the tail.

We learned about these in history class, these pins were everywhere in what is now the outlining districts such as District 9, District 10, District 11 and District 12, my district. They were pretty much only one per family and the eldest child would get it when they married. If the younger children wanted a pin they would have to pay to have one made. They animal was said to represent what animal they family evolved from.

Most were destroyed when Panem was created, after the natural disasters took their toll on North America, the new government wanted the only faith to be to them. So Peacekeepers took every pin and if you refused to give it up you were beaten and forced to give it up. They were melted to make jewelry for the Capitol citizens. The only ones that remain are ones of government officials like the major who has one, but gave it to his daughter Madge it's a mockingjay.

How had this one survived? Who buried it? Why wait till now to bury it? I don't have time to figure it out I'm late. Slipping the pin in my pocket I run for home my real fear starts to sink in " What if I am picked," I whisper to myself. _I won't be,_ I think and I finish the journey home.

Walking in I'm greated by the warm smile of my sister, who by the looks of it just got a bath. Trying to convey a smile as warm as her's is hard ,especially since our mother walks into the room meeting my glare of hate with a sign of sorrow.

"How was the square today," Liea asks ,feeling uncomfortable at my stare toward the pretend mother I never had.

"Fine, not very busy traded here and there," I say releasing my mother from my death look. My mother walks into her bedroom avoiding more glares from me."I got so fish and berries," I say pulling the white bundle of fish and bundle of berries out of my bag. I lay the money on the table.

"Cool," Liea says being excited knowing I only bring home blackberries. She takes the bundles and takes them to the cellar. As she goes my mother comes into the room. Instead of giving her looks of hate I simply look away. Liea comes up from the cellar and break the silence by plainly saying, "What's that mom?"

I had just noticed a white what looks to be a dress in her hand. "Oh, I was hoping you would wear it today," she says giving Liea a gentle motherly look, that never get or wish to get. Liea takes the dress and goes to change,"I like you to take a bath," my mother says to me more like a question than a statement. Without a word I go to wash.

Mainly only scrubbing my hair take a quick, cleansing bath. Walking back into the kitchen to recover my bag I see my sister in that ridiculous dress getting her hair pulled back by my mother. Mother finishes Liea's super tight bun and feel a need to comment so I say, "Wow you look so grown up."

"Thanks," she say twirling in a circle.

"Layed something out for you too," my mother peeps out."On your bed."

"Okay," I say walking into the safety of my room. I walk in to see the stupidest dress I've ever seen. It'd a lite pink with two pockets across the chest and embroided white flowers on the skirt. I put it on to find out it has obnoxious collar and ties in the back, which means I have to ask for help and I hate to ask for help.

Walking into the kitchen I feel a surge of anger towards my mother go through me as Liea gasps at my sight. "You look so pretty, I wish I had that dress instead of this boring one, but you wear that one so nicely," she says getting looking like she would try to twirl me, twirling is my least favorite thing to do next to asking for help, but mother comes in and stops her with her gasp of surprise and satisfaction.

She walks to me and gently says, trying to keep me calm and knowing she standing on a string known as Liea that keeps me at bay, "Here let me tie that for you." She pick up the strings and tie them tight so, as she says, it shows off my "figure". "There now let me do your hair," she says as she finishes the bow on my back.

"I was just going to braid it like I normally do," I say sending her glare for asking me once again if she could help me. Liea gives me a concerned look and I decide getting Liea upset is not worth making my mother feel weaker so I back down and say, " But I don't care." I sit down in a chair.

My mother picks up the brush she used for Liea's hair, and she starts gently brush my hair. To my surprise my mother has still remembered how tender headed I am, even though she hasn't touched my hairs since dad died two years ago.

After my hairs is brushed she splits my hair into three equal pieces and tightly braid them together, but instead of laying it down my back she twists it into a flat round bun and pins it to my head with hair buttons. "There now you both look grown up," my mother say looking from me to Liea. "Leia would you like to see your hair," she says trying to hand me a mirror so I can see myself. I glare at the mirror, but take it for my sister who is giving me the saddest look hoping to make accept the mirror.

I take the mirror and look into it. As I look into the mirror and Liea gives an excited gasp as my own reflection comes into my own focus. Looking into the mirror I don't see the normal scraggly looking and rough faced girl I have seen everytime I have looked in a mirror in the past. No what I see this time was soft gentle features of very prominent high cheek bones ,normally covered by dirt and mud, small pink lips, and crystal blue eyes that, according to Gale, could make the sky seem gray even in summer. The small amount of bangs ,that aren't quite grown out, curve around my face high lighting my features, and no other hair is visible except the hair that wraps my head. My tan skins illuminates against the pink dress.

"Would you like to see the back," my mother askes quietly hoping that I was satisfied with the front.

I look quickly at my mother and then to Liea who nodded very excitedly."Yes," I say and my mother sweeps me to the bedroom where her big mirror is. I line the small hand mirror up to where I can see the back. It wasn't what I had expected it was just looked like a brown dinner plate that is made of a braided swirl. Still it looked nicer than my off tp the side braid, it looked more proper and controlled.

Then I hear the bell the indicates a half hour till reaping. "We need to go," I say more to Liea than to our mother.

"Alright," Liea respondes suddenly very quietly. I just noticed our mother had left to get her bag. I turn to Liea with her eyes on her feet with tears trickling down her face."Hey look at me," I say tilting her head up,"You're okay, shhhh, you're okay, come on stop crying," I grace her face gently with my hand wiping her face dry.

"Leia? What if I get picked," she more whimpers than askes.

"You won't be," I say softly as I dry her new tear falling along her cheeks.

"But what if I am" she screams at me. I have a serge of anger like normally are directed toward my mother. The thought of her thinking that she will be picked, when she has only one slip in thousands, just makes me think that she doesn't care what do for her, I would use all the power I have to keep her from being picked.

"You won't be picked," I yell. She begins to cry more, I insantly regret yelling."Hey, I'm sorry I yelled, but I'm telling you you'll fine okay?" She nods gently and know that has forgotten the yell already, because she knows that without me the odds of her lasting till her first reaping was low. "Alright now we need to go," I say brushing the last of the tears from her face. Liea may be my twin, but she will always be like a little sister to me.

Taking her hand I see our mother had returned. I wasn't sure how much she had seen, and didn't really care. Liea reaches for her hand, but pull her gently with me as I move. Liea is reliant on our mother and seeks her comfort, but she feels safer with me. I push the door open and feel my mother place her hand on my shoulder. Her other hand is most likely on Liea, so I don't shake her off for Liea's sake.

I squeeze Liea's hand and when she returns the squeeze we walk into the day toward the square


End file.
